


Plenty of Smiles

by smileybagel



Series: Their World [2]
Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-08
Updated: 2012-03-08
Packaged: 2017-11-01 15:33:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/358439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smileybagel/pseuds/smileybagel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set before Day Care Prophet. Charles couldn't bear to leave her, and she liked people who kept their pinkie promises. She also liked people who had an abundance of smiles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Plenty of Smiles

It was raining. Charles didn't mind, not with the large, blue umbrella he kept over his head as heavy drops of rain smashed down to the earth, drenching everything completely. He whistled a tune, swinging the plastic grocery bag that held frozen chicken and seasonings to and fro as he walked down the sidewalk towards home. He passed restaurants, little sandwich shops and cafes where people were huddled inside to escape the gray skies and liquid that fell. They all looked warm and cozy, Charles thought with a smile. He liked seeing other people happy, that in turn made him very happy. At twenty-three years old, he knew how he wanted the world to work. Peace and harmony, everyone coexisting.

 

He continued walking, entertain the thought of of calling a cab as the night grew colder when he heard a soft cry. He had just passed a dark alleyway, barely lit by a light above a cafe's back door. Charles stepped back a few steps, glancing in the alley and listening for any sounds. The whimper came again and this time his eyes caught the barest hints of movement. Charles stood there, not really knowing what to do.

 

What if it was a stray dog that hated humans? _(Charles would still try to take care of it.)_ What if it was a homeless man? _(He would give him any cash he had on him, even offer him a warm bed and roof over his head for the night.)_ What if it was a druggie, moaning and groaning from the pain of withdraws? _(God help this man, Charles would say, let him kick this addiction, and he would offer him legal medical help.)_ All of the possible scenarios ran through his head as he stepped into the alley.

 

One thing he was not expecting, not at all, was to find a little girl, no older than maybe five years. Her blonde hair was long and matted, stuck to her face and neck from the rain. She was huddled by the wall, covered by surrounding garbage bags and a few rags to keep her legs warm. Her eyes were closed, scrunched tight as she held her arms to herself, trying to keep any remaining warmth in her small body. The winds picked up and she cried out, pulling in on herself even more.

 

Charles stood, eyes wide in shock and fear and  _oh god who did this? Who could have left this innocent child out here?_ He was paralyzed, his mind not comprehending such neglect. Another unmerciful gust of wind down the alley snapped him into focus. He moved forward with caution, not sure how the girl would react. With a loud but calm voice to speak over the howling wind and rain, he spoke.

 

"Excuse me? Little girl?" Charles crouched down, mindful of his bag and stretched out his umbrella arm so the fabric would cover her as well. She looked up at the sound of his voice and she narrowed her eyes.

 

"How did you get out here? How long..." He trailed off, considering the possibility of this girl being a street rat for some time. Maybe an orphan, maybe she was abandoned by her parents. "Did you run away from home?"

 

She nodded her head slowly, not trusting him. It made sense, Charles concluded.

 

"I...Would you like to come with me?" He asked hesitantly, trying not to scare her.

 

She didn't say anything, only looked up towards the umbrella that shielded her from the rain. Her gaze stopped at his face, trying to see if he could be trusted.

 

"I don't know you." Came her small voice, almost unheard due to the weather. Charles smiled at her.

 

"I'm Charles. Charles Xavier. I live not too far from here. I could take you there." He stepped closer to her, stopping when she pressed herself further to the wall.

 

"I won't hurt you, I promise. Could you tell me your name?" He set the plastic bag down and switched the umbrella to his left hand.

 

The girl looked at with wary eyes before glancing at metal bracelet on her wrist. Charles recognized the piece. She was born in a hospital, then. Not out on the streets. She looked back at him and slowly held her wrist out for him to see. Charles reached for her wrist, asking for permission before gently grabbing it and twisting it so he could read the metal plaque.

 

Raven Darkholme was engraved, underneath was a birth date scratched out by some unknown source, and the name of a hospital roughly 50 miles from their location. Charles ignored the last bits of information, not wanting to dwell on this girl's history that could very well be dark and scary.

 

"Raven. What a beautiful name." He smiled down on her, only widening said smile her she blushed fiercely underneath her hair. "We know each other now, don't we?"

 

Raven nodded and moved the soaking hair out of her face, looking up at him with large eyes. She spoke in the same, small voice as before and Charles had to strain his ears to hear her.

 

"But why do you wanna take me home with you?"

 

Charles couldn't help but let a small laugh escape him. The child was just too cute.

 

"I can't see a pretty, young girl like yourself out in the cold. I have plenty of warm beds and lots of food at home. I promise, cross my heart, stick a thousand needles in my eye if I lie, you will be happy there. Even if you only wish to stay for the night, though I would hate to see you back out here." Charles still held her wrist, turning it this way and that to take her hand in his.

 

Raven searched his eyes, his body language for any signs of danger. She had met many mean and nasty people, all promising things like Charles did. Most of them lied. She didn't like liars. Her mommy was a liar. Her daddy was too. That's why she ran away from home. But she liked this boy, Charles he called himself. She didn't want him to be a liar.

 

She rearranged her hand in his, grasping his pinkie finger with her own and looked him dead in the eye.

 

"You gotta pinkie promise, kay'? I only trust pinkie promises and I wanna trust you cause' you seem like nice man."

 

Charles realized she was very serious and smiled some more. Raven wondered if he would ever run out of smiles. Most people that passed her by on the streets never smiled. Their happiness was gone.

 

"Alright, my little Raven," When had she become his? "I pinkie promise, cross my heart, hope for death, and needles in my eye should I lie like I said before."

 

Raven still had plenty of smiles, it seemed, and plenty of reason to give them to Charles.


End file.
